Boxes, cartons and like containers



April 3, 1962 Filed Aug. 11, 1959 F. L. FILMER ET AL BOXES CARTONS AND LIKE CONTAINERS 2 Shets-Sheet l I n ventors FRANK LESLIE FILMER MICHAEL JAMES KIRBY A ttorneys F. L. FILMER ET AL BOXES CARTONS AND LIKE CONTAINERS April 3, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 11, 1959 Inventors fknmc LESLIE F/LMER M/a/AE L Jmas K/RBY Attorneys United States Patent Qfihce 3,928,067 Patented Apr. 3, 1962 3,028,067 BOXES, CARTONS AND LIKE CONTAINERS Frank Leslie Filmer, Lindfield, and Michael James Kirby,

London, England, assignors, by mesne assignments, to

Reed Cartons Limited, London, England, a British company Filed Aug. 11, 1959, Ser. No. 833,042 4 Claims. (Cl. 229-44) This invention is concerned with improvements in or relating to boxes, cartons and like containers made of cardboard and similar light weight material and having a tubular form of rectangular cross section.

It is an object of the invention to provide an improved box, carton or container of simple construction which can serve not only as a container for goods from which the goods can be readily removed for display to a customer but also as a carrier box in which the articles can be transported by a customer without the need for any additional wrapping paper, string, adhesive tape or other means for securing the box in a closed condition.

According to the invention therefore there is provided a cardboard box of tubular form and rectangular section in which one of a pair of opposite walls thereof has a lid portion hingedly connected to the remainder of said one wall, said lid portion and the other wall of said pair of walls each having end forming flaps which interengage to close the end of the box, one of said end forming flaps having a slot therein whilst the other terminates in a bandle forming portion adapted to pass through said slot, said handle forming portion serving, when it is within the box, to secure the lid in a closed position, and when it extends outwardly of the box, as a carrying handle.

The end forming flap having the slot therein may be connected to the lid forming portion or to the other wall 7 of said pair of walls, the handle forming portion being making a cut in the end of the end forming portion which defines a hand hole in that end and which leaves a tab integral with the remainder of the end forming portion and of similar shape to the hand hole. This tab when the handle forming portion is within the box preferably extends outside the end of the box and serves to permit the box to be readily withdrawn from a stack of boxes, whilst when the handle forming portion extends outwardly of the box such tab is preferably disposed within the box to serve as an additional means of maintaining the box securely closed.

If desired one or both of the end forming flaps may be provided with hingedly connected side flaps which in the assembled and closed box overlap or form part of the side walls of the box. Thus for instance the side walls at the end of the box having said end forming flaps may be cut away from the hinge line of said lid forming portion to the hinge line of the co-operating end forming flap the cut away portions being connectedto the lid forming portion and its associated end forming flap. By this means when the lid forming portion is opened improved easy access is provided to the goods in the box.

In another preferred embodiment of the invention we may provide a holding tab or the like in that wall of the pair of walls which has the handle forming portion connected thereto, which tab serves to retain said handle forming portion and its end forming portion in a position lying along the inside of the box. This arrangement will preferably be of advantage when boxes are arranged for display and are not required to be securely closed.

Whilst a box according to the invention may be provided with a lid forming portion and end forming flaps as above set forth at each end it is preferred to make such provision at one end only, the other end being closed in any convenient manner.

Whilst it is possible to make a box according to this invention from several separate pieces of cardboard, glued, stapled or otherwise secured together, we prefer to make it from a single integral blank cut and scored to the appropriate shape.

In order that the invention may be well understood some preferred embodiments thereof will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 shows a perspective view of one embodiment of the invention,

FIGURE 2 shows a sectional view through the right hand end of the box of FIGURE 1 in its closed position,

FIGURE 3 is a perspective view of the left hand end of the box of FIGURE 1 with the lid securely closed,

FIGURE 4 is a view similar to that of FIGURE 3 with the lid closed and the handle in the carrying position,

FIGURE 5 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of box according to the invention showing only the end of the box having the lid portion and FIGURE 6 is a similar view to that of FIGURE 5 of a third embodiment of the invention.

In referring to these three embodiments it will be understood that each one is formed from a single integral blank of cardboard suitably cut and scored. Furthermore whilst in the embodiments according to FIGURES 5 and 6 only one end, i.e. the end having the lid portion, is shown in each case it will be understood that the other end of those boxes will be made in the same way as the right hand end of the box shown in FIGURE 1.

Referring to FIGURES 1 to 4 a cardboard box according to the invention is shown which is of tubular form and rectangular cross section. The box has a top 1, a bottom 2 and side walls 3 and 4. At the right hand end of the box the top 1 and bottom 2 have respectively end forming flaps 5 and 6 hingedly connected thereto.

End forming flap 5 has a tab 7 released therefrom and has a score line 8 extending across its width on either side of tab 7 about which score line the end portion 9 from which the tab is released can hinge. The end forming flap 6 has a slot 10 extending across its Width and two side pieces 11 hingedly connected to said flap 6.

As shown in FIGURE 2 this end of the box is closed by inserting the side pieces 11 into the box and folding the end flap 6 up until the side pieces 11 extend along the side walls 3, 4 respectively with the flap 6 closing the end. End flap 5 is then folded over flap 6 and end portion 9 is inserted through slot 10 and inside the box whilst tab 7 extends outside the lower portion of flap 6 thus securely closing that end of the box.

At the other end of the box of FIGURE 1 a lid portion 12 formed from the top 1 is hingedly connected to the remainder of top 1 by a score line 13 extending across the box. This portion '12 has an end forming flap 14 hingedly connected thereto which flap 14 terminates in a handle forming portion 15 and a tab 16 which are hingedly connected to the remainder of flap 14 by a score line 17.

The ends of side walls 3, 4 each have an end flap 18 hingedly connected thereto.

The bottom 2 of the box has an end forming flap 19 hingedly connected thereto, which flap 19 has a slot 20 therein. At each side of flap 19, a side flap 21 is hingedly connected, which side flaps 21 have hingedly connected strips 22 thereon.

When it is desired to close the box securely as may be the case when it is holding goods in stock prior to their sale the end forming flap 19 is first moved into a position where it closes the end of the box with the side flaps 21 extending outside the walls 3, 4 respectively. The strips 22 are bent at right angles to side flaps 21 and the ends of these strips are inserted beneath the top 1 as shown in FIGURES 3 and 4. Lid portion 12 is then folded down on to, the top of the box and its end forming flap 14 is caused to overlap the end forming flap 19. The handle forming portion 15 of flap 14 is passed through slot 21 into the box and as shown in FIGURE 3 lies against flap 19. The tab 16 extends outside flap 19, and serves as a means whereby the box can readily be withdrawn to display the goods and further as a ready means for opening the lid.

Assuming that the goods in the box e.g. a pair of shoes are purchased by a customer the box can readily be con verted to one which the customer can carry away without any further wrapping or tying material becoming necessary. Lid portion 12 is closed first. Flap 19 is then moved to a closing position and handle portion 15 is inserted through slot 20 so that it extends outwardly thereof as a handle in the manner shown in FIGURE 4. Tab 16 which serves to hold the lid securely closed in this position extends inside fiap 19.

In FIGURE a modified embodiment of the box shown in FIGURES 1 to 4 is shown. The lid portion 12 of this box has depending side portoins 24 on each side which are cut from the material of side walls 3 and 4 respectively which as shown are cut away at 25. The side flaps 21 in FIGURE 5 have protruding tongues 26 of such a length that when the end forming flap 19 is moved into a box closing position with flaps 21 outside walls 3 and 4 the ends of tongues 26 will extend inside the respective side walls 3, 4 and beneath the top 1 to retain flap 19 in position. When the lid is closed the side portions 24 are inserted inside the side flaps 21. The handle portion in this embodiment will pass either inwardly or outwardly through the slot depending on whether the flap 1-4 or the flap 19 is closed first.

FIGURE 6 shows a further embodiment of the invention. In this box the bottom 2 has an end forming flap 30 connected hingedly thereto by a score line 31. This flap 30 has a pull out tab 32 released therefrom to facilitate removal of the box from a stack. The fiap 30 has a handle forming portion 33 hinged about a score line 34 which portion is formed by cutting out a hand hole which is defined by the tab 35 which remains integral with the flap.

This box has a lid portion generally indicated at 36 and shown open. Lid portion 36 comprises a top panel 37 hinged by a score line 38 to the remainder of top 1 and an end forming fiap 39 having a. slot 40 therethrough. End forming flap 39 has side forming portions 41 integral therewith and hinged thereto. These portions 41 each have a slot 42 therein. Top panel 37 has a side forming portion 43 hingedly and integrally connected to each side thereof these portions 43 each. terminating in a hooked end 44. Since the box is made from an integral blank it will be clear that portions 43 are cut from the side walls 3, 4 which thus have an inclined edge 45 which when the lid portion 36 is open results in. easy access to the interior of the box.

As will be seen from FIGURE 6 lid portion 36 is assembled by placing portions 43 outside their respective portions 41 and inserting the hooked ends 44v through slots 42 to hold the lid assembled.

It will be noted that the bottom 2 of the box has a slot 46 defining a tab 47 therein. This tab 47 is so disposed that the end forming flap 30 can be folded inwardly of the box and along the bottom 2 with the edge of handle portion 33 engaged under the tab 47. In this position as will be apparent the lid 36 can be merely raised or lowered about its hinge line 38. This position is a convenient one when the box carries goods in a store and it is desired to be able quickly to remove the goods for inspection.

When the box is to be securely closed for transporting goods the lid portion 36 is moved into its closed position with the side portions 41, 43 inside the ends of side walls 3, 4. End forming flap is laid upon the outer surface of end forming flap 39 and handle portion 33 is passed through slot 40 to lie inside the box and adjacent flap 39. Tab remains on the exterior of the closed end to facilitate opening that end.

When it is desired to convert the box into one for a customer to carry away it is only necessary to close flap 30 first and then close lid 36 while inserting the handle portion 33 through slot so that it extends outwardly thereof whilst tab 35 remains inside end flap 39 and then the box will be securely closed and ready to be carried away by handle 33 without the need for any further wrapping, tying or securing material.

We claim:

1. A cardboard box of tubular form and rectangular section in which an end portion of one of a pair of opposite walls thereof comprises a lid portion hingedly connected to the remainder of said one wall inwardly of the adjacent end of said box, said lid portion and the other wall of said pair of walls each having end forming flaps which interengage to close the end of the box, one of said end forming flaps having a slot therein whilst the other terminates in a handle forming portion adapted to pass selectively either inwardly or outwardly through said slot, said handle forming portion serving, when it extends inwardly of said slot, to secure the lid in a closed position, and when it extends outwardly of the slot, as a carrying handle, said handle forming portion being formed by making a cut in the shape of a hand hole in the end forming flap whilst leaving a tab integral with said flap, which tab when the box is closed may be positioned to lie on the outside of the end when the handle is within the box and on the inside of the end when the handle extends outwardly of the box.

2. A box as claimed in claim 1 in which the wall having the end forming flap terminating in a handle portion also has a holding tab therein which serves to engage and hold said handle'in a position lying within the box against the said wall.

3. A box as claimed in claim 1 in which the slotted end forming flap has hingedly connected side flaps which,

when the said flap is closed, overlap the side walls of the box.

4. A box as claimed in claim 3 in which the side walls at the end of the box having said end forming flaps are cut away from the hinge line of said lid portion whereby to give increased access to the interior of the box.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 659,238 Killinger Oct. 9, 1900 2,721,022 Billerbeck Oct. 18, 1955 2,842,304 Ringler July 8, 1958 FOREIGN PATENTS 500,786 Great Britain Feb. 15, 1939 

